While there’s excitement across the area for the IKEA store coming to Oak Creek, the development is raising concerns for parents over possible traffic.The proposed site is northeast of a new elementary school, near I-94 at Drexel Avenue.The IKEA and the school would share a road.Mayor Steve Scaffidi joined IKEA representatives last month to share the news. Oak Creek’s Common Council voted Tuesday to rezone in favor of the development.He said there will be some distance between the school and the soon-to-be store.“The IKEA development and school are actually pretty far apart,” Scaffidi said. “Like I said, a quarter or half-mile apart.”That is still too close for comfort for some parents, like Greg Loreck, sending their kids to school down the road."A lot of parents believed that area was going to be built up with residential neighborhoods,” Loreck said.He has two children that will attend IKEA’s neighboring school, Forest Ridge Elementary. He said the major retailer could congest the area.“In the morning, traffic won’t be an issue. But (pick-up) in the afternoon might be an issue, with traffic coming and going from the store,” Loreck said.Scaffidi said the city will widen the road, where necessary, and add another barrier between the school and street to keep students safe.“We’re actually giving the school district $25,000 for a security fence around their property,” he said.Loreck is happy to see business coming to the community. In this case, however, it’s not top of mind.The father would like to see an alternate road built for IKEA traffic. The store is scheduled to open in 2018.Get the WISN 12 NEWS app

OAK CREEK, Wis. —

While there’s excitement across the area for the IKEA store coming to Oak Creek, the development is raising concerns for parents over possible traffic.

The proposed site is northeast of a new elementary school, near I-94 at Drexel Avenue.